Telangana to set up welfare committee for auto drivers: Bhatti

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Social Affairs Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar at a meeting with the Hyderabad JAC Auto Drivers Associations here on Saturday evening. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday announced that the state government will soon set up a welfare board for autorickshaw drivers to provide social security and welfare benefits.

Addressing the representatives of the Hyderabad City JAC Auto Drivers Association here, Mr. Bhatti said the government was committed to addressing the problems of auto drivers and transport workers with a humanitarian approach at a meeting held at Praja Bhavan here. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and SC Development Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar attended the event.

Mr. Bhatti said the government had recently approved an increase in the fare from ₹ 14 to ₹ 14 per kilometer after considering the views of the drivers and discussing the issue in the cabinet. He criticized the previous government for failing to address the concerns of car drivers despite repeated protests over the past decade.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that nearly 20,000 families depend on the transport sector and said that the proposal for a social welfare committee has already been discussed in the cabinet and will be implemented after the completion of the required legislative and financial processes. He also assured that other demands of auto workers will be reviewed and appropriate decisions will be taken.

The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that ₹ 200 crore has been allocated under the Rajiv Yuva Vikasam scheme to support the shift from diesel-powered cars to battery-powered vehicles. The government is providing a subsidy of ₹ 1.5 lakh per car and plans to encourage greater adoption of electric, solar and CNG vehicles to promote cleaner urban transport. He appreciated Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar for actively seeking the welfare of transport workers.

Published – 03 Oct 2026 22:02 IST